Everything a NEET 2026 aspirant needs in one place: what is a cut-off, how passing marks are calculated, course-wise and category-wise AYUSH cut-offs, expected BAMS cut-off scores and ranks, answer key challenge process, and result date.
Quick Highlights
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Total NEET marks | 720 (180 questions × 4 marks) |
| General passing marks | ~360+ (50th percentile cutoff) |
| OBC/SC/ST passing marks | ~288+ (40th percentile cutoff) |
| Min BAMS Govt score (est.) | 500–540 (Expected range 2026) |
Part 1 — What is NEET 2026 cut-off? Understanding it from scratch
The NEET cut-off is the minimum score or percentile a student must achieve in NEET UG to become eligible for admission into medical and AYUSH courses. There are two types of cut-offs that every student must understand clearly.
Type A — Qualifying cut-off (passing marks)
This is the minimum score required just to “qualify” NEET — meaning to receive a valid NEET scorecard. If you score below this, your result is simply “not qualified” and you cannot apply for any seat. This cut-off is set by NTA and changes slightly every year based on the difficulty of the paper.
| Category | Percentile required | Expected score 2026 | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | 50th percentile | ~360–380 | Top 50% of all candidates |
| OBC | 40th percentile | ~288–310 | Top 60% of all candidates |
| SC | 40th percentile | ~288–310 | Same as OBC |
| ST | 40th percentile | ~288–310 | Same as OBC/SC |
| General-PwD | 45th percentile | ~320–340 | Persons with disability |
| SC/ST/OBC-PwD | 40th percentile | ~288–310 | PwD in reserved categories |
Important: Qualifying NEET does not guarantee a seat. It only means you are eligible to participate in counselling. Seats are filled based on merit — your actual score versus other qualified candidates.
Type B — Admission cut-off (seat-specific)
This is the cut-off score at which the last seat in a particular college, course, and category was filled. This varies widely — a government BAMS college in a competitive state like UP or Maharashtra may have a cut-off of 520+, while a private BHMS college in a smaller state might fill its last seat at 290. This is what students actually need to worry about when planning their admission.
Part 2 — How is NEET score calculated? (marks formula explained)
Understanding how your raw score is calculated helps you estimate your cut-off position before results are out.
NEET scoring formula
Total score=(Correct answers×4)−(Wrong answers×1)
| Action | Marks change |
|---|---|
| Correct answer | +4 marks |
| Wrong answer | −1 mark (negative marking) |
| Question not attempted | 0 marks (no penalty) |
| Multiple answers marked | −1 mark (treated as wrong) |
Example: If you attempt 160 questions and get 130 correct and 30 wrong → Score = (130×4) − (30×1) = 520 − 30 = 490.
What is percentile and how is it different from percentage?
- Percentage: Your marks out of total marks. Example: 400/720 = 55.5%. This tells you how much you scored.
- Percentile: What percentage of candidates scored below you. Example: 85th percentile means you scored better than 85% of all students who appeared.
NTA uses percentile-based cut-offs because the number of candidates varies each year. This ensures the cut-off adjusts for exam difficulty automatically.
Part 3 — NEET cut-off 2026 for AYUSH courses (BAMS, BHMS, BUMS, BSMS)
AYUSH admissions are done separately from MBBS/BDS. The 15% All India Quota goes through AACCC (AYUSH Admissions Central Counselling Committee) and the 85% State Quota goes through individual state AYUSH councils. Both use NEET scores.
NEET qualifying cut-off for AYUSH — all categories
| Category | Qualifying percentile | Expected min score (2026) | Eligible courses |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | 50th percentile | 360–380 | BAMS, BHMS, BUMS, BSMS, BNYS |
| OBC/SC/ST | 40th percentile | 288–310 | All AYUSH UG courses |
| General-PwD | 45th percentile | 320–340 | All AYUSH UG courses |
| SC/ST/OBC-PwD | 40th percentile | 288–310 | All AYUSH UG courses |
These are qualifying cut-offs — not admission cut-offs. Even if you score 370 and qualify, you still need a higher score to actually get a BAMS govt seat, which fills at 500+.
Part 4 — BAMS cut-off 2026 (expected scores and ranks in detail)
BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) is the most sought-after AYUSH course and has the highest cut-off.
BAMS 2026 — all India quota cut-off (AACCC)
| Category | Expected score | Expected rank | Percentile range |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | 500–550 | ~5,000–20,000 | 98th–99.5th |
| OBC | 450–500 | ~20,000–50,000 | 96th–98th |
| SC | 400–450 | ~50,000–1,00,000 | 92nd–96th |
| ST | 360–400 | ~1,00,000–2,00,000 | 85th–92nd |
| UR-PwD | 380–420 | ~80,000–1,50,000 | 88th–94th |
BAMS 2026 — state quota cut-off by type of college
| College type | General score | OBC score | SC/ST score | Approximate fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Govt | 550–580 | 510–540 | 450–490 | ₹10k–₹20k/yr |
| State Govt | 490–540 | 430–480 | 370–420 | ₹15k–₹30k/yr |
| Govt-aided Private | 420–480 | 370–430 | 310–360 | ₹60k–₹1.5L/yr |
| Private (Popular) | 360–420 | 310–370 | 280–330 | ₹1.5L–₹3L/yr |
| Private (New) | 290–350 | 260–310 | 240–280 | ₹2L–₹4.5L/yr |
BAMS cut-off 2026 — state-wise expected scores (general category)
| State | Govt college cut-off | Private college cut-off | Competition level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | 510–550 | 320–400 | Very high |
| Madhya Pradesh | 490–530 | 300–380 | High |
| Maharashtra | 520–560 | 350–430 | Very high |
| Rajasthan | 500–540 | 310–390 | High |
| Gujarat | 480–520 | 290–370 | High |
| Karnataka | 510–550 | 330–410 | Very high |
| Bihar | 460–500 | 290–360 | Moderate-high |
| Uttarakhand | 450–490 | 280–350 | Moderate |
| Himachal Pradesh | 440–480 | 270–340 | Moderate |
| Assam / NE states | 400–450 | 260–320 | Moderate-low |
Part 5 — BHMS cut-off 2026 (Homeopathy)
| Category | AIQ cut-off score | Govt state cut-off | Private cut-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | 470–520 | 450–490 | 280–360 |
| OBC | 420–460 | 400–440 | 240–310 |
| SC | 380–420 | 360–400 | 220–280 |
| ST | 340–380 | 320–360 | 200–260 |
Part 6 — BUMS cut-off 2026 (Unani)
The total number of BUMS colleges in India is about 56, primarily in UP, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
| Category | AIQ cut-off | Govt state cut-off | Private cut-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | 450–490 | 430–470 | 270–340 |
| OBC | 390–430 | 370–410 | 230–290 |
| SC | 350–390 | 330–370 | 200–260 |
| ST | 310–350 | 300–340 | 190–240 |
Part 7 — BSMS cut-off 2026 (Siddha)
Practiced predominantly in Tamil Nadu (approx. 14 colleges).
| Category | Expected score | Expected rank (AIQ) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | 380–430 | ~60k–1.2L | TN domicile preferred |
| OBC | 330–380 | ~1.2L–2L | OBC-TN rules apply |
| SC | 290–330 | ~2L–3L | Seat matrix is small |
| ST | 260–300 | ~3L+ | Very few seats |
Part 8 — BNYS cut-off 2026 (Naturopathy)
| Category | Expected cut-off | Key states |
|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | 320–380 | Karnataka, TN, Kerala, AP, MH |
| OBC | 280–330 | Karnataka, TN |
| SC/ST | 250–290 | Karnataka, TN |
Part 9 — NEET 2026 cut-off year-wise trend analysis
| Year | Applicants | Gen Qual. Score | BAMS Govt Gen | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 15.97 lakh | ~147 | 450–480 | Moderate |
| 2021 | 16.14 lakh | ~138 | 460–490 | Mod-tough |
| 2022 | 18.72 lakh | ~177 | 490–520 | Easy-mod |
| 2023 | 20.38 lakh | ~137 | 495–530 | Tough |
| 2024 | 24.06 lakh | ~164 | 500–535 | Moderate |
| 2025 (est.) | ~24–25 lakh | ~155–175 | 500–540 | Moderate |
| 2026 (exp.) | ~25–26 lakh | ~360–380 | 500–545 | TBD |
Part 10 — NEET 2026 answer key: what it is, how to challenge it
After NEET UG 2026, NTA releases a provisional answer key. This is your biggest opportunity to increase your score before the final result.
Provisional vs final answer key
- Provisional: Released first. Open for challenge.
- Final: Released after reviewing challenges. Results are based on this.
How to challenge — step by step
- Visit NTA NEET website: Go to neet.nta.nic.in.
- Log in: Use your application number and password.
- Download: Get the answer key PDF and your OMR image.
- Select: Pick the question(s) to challenge and choose the correct option.
- Pay Fee: ₹200 per question (refunded if challenge is accepted).
- Submit: Save confirmation.
NEET 2026 answer key & challenge — expected timeline
- Exam Day: May 4, 2026 (Expected)
- Unofficial Keys: Within 48–72 hours of exam
- Provisional Key: ~7–10 days post exam
- Final Key: ~2 weeks after challenge window
- Result Date: June 2026 (Expected)
- Counselling: July–August 2026
Part 11 — NEET 2026 result: what information does the scorecard contain?
| Field | Meaning | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Total Marks | Score out of 720 | Rank calculation |
| Subject Marks | P, C, B scores | Reference |
| Percentile | Relative performance | Qualifying status |
| AIR | Your rank in India | AIQ counselling |
| Category Rank | Rank in your group | Reserved seat allotment |
| Qualifying Status | Qualified/Not Qualified | Eligibility for counselling |
| State Code | Domicile eligibility | State Quota (85%) |
Part 12 — Common questions (FAQs)
Q1. If I score exactly the qualifying cut-off marks, will I get a BAMS seat? No. Qualifying marks only make you eligible. Government BAMS seats fill at 490–550+ for General category.
Q2. What is the difference between AIQ and state quota? 15% of seats are All India Quota (managed by AACCC) for any student. 85% is State Quota for residents of that specific state.
Q3. Can I challenge any NEET 2026 question even if I didn’t mark it? Yes. Any registered candidate can challenge any question from the provisional key.
Q4. What happens if the NEET 2026 answer key challenge accepts my objection? NTA corrects the answer or drops the question (+4 bonus marks). Your ₹200 fee is also refunded.
Q5. Is BSMS available outside Tamil Nadu? BSMS colleges are almost exclusively in Tamil Nadu. Outside students usually apply through the small AIQ intake.
Q6. What is the NEET 2026 result date? Expected in June 2026, roughly 4-5 weeks after the exam. Check neet.nta.nic.in regularly.
Disclaimer: All cut-off scores and dates in this guide are based on trends from 2020–2025. Actual NEET 2026 cut-offs will be determined after the exam.
Quick Links:
- State-wise BAMS colleges ↗
- Rank vs score calculator ↗
- AACCC counselling guide ↗
- Compare AYUSH courses ↗
- NEET 2026 AYUSH Cut off: Category-wise BAMS & BHMS Scores & Ranks
- Rama Ayurvedic Medical College & Hospital | Kanpur | BAMS | 2026
- Vimla Family Ayurvedic Medical College & Hospital, Kanpur | Complete AYUSH BAMS Admission Guide – 2026–27
- Major S.D. Singh PG Ayurvedic Medical College & Hospital, Farrukhabad | Complete AYUSH BAMS Admission Guide – 2026–27
- Matoshri Ayurved College and Hospital, Dhanore | 2026 Admission
- MP AYUSH Counselling 2026 — Complete Guide for BAMS, BHMS, BUMS & BNYS Admission in Madhya Pradesh